Modern homes usually consist of frameworks made of wood, drywall, plastic and other building materials fastened together into a solid structure. Carpenters are skilled craftsmen who measure, cut and join building materials to construct frameworks for new buildings and make additions to existing buildings. Carpenters typically gain the skills they need through years of on-the-job training and apprenticeship.

Average Wage

Data furnished by the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that carpenters earned $21.31 an hour on average in May 2011. At this hourly rate, carpenters who work 2,080 hours a year earn $44,330 annually. The median hourly wage of workers was $19.24, which means half of all carpenters made more than $19.24 an hour and half made less. The median annual income of carpenters was $40,010.

Income Range

Income can vary significantly from one worker to the next based on factors like experience and specialized skills. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the top 10 percent of carpenters earned wages in excess of $34.56 an hour in May 2011, while the bottom 10 percent earned less than $11.96 an hour. The middle 50 percent of workers earned between $15.01 and $26.23 an hour and $31,230 to $54,560 annually.

Top Industries

Carpenters work in many industries related to building construction and maintenance. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that carpenters involved in residential building construction earned $19.86 on hour on average in May 2011; workers engaged in nonresidential building construction earned $23.23 on average; and building finishing contractors made $22.13 an hour on average. Workers in the motion picture and video industries had the highest income of all carpenters and earned $32.33 an hour on average.

Top States

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that Hawaii was the top-paying state in the nation for carpenters in May 2011 and that workers in Hawaii earned $32.19 an hour on average. Other top states included Alaska, California and Massachusetts, where workers earned average wages of $29.98, $27.19 and $26.91 per hour respectively. Workers in these states earned annual incomes of $55,970 or more.